Erica van de Waal

The transmission of traditions in wild primates: an experimental approach with vervet monkeys

Branco Weiss Fellow with Professor van Schaik at the University of Zurich & scientific coordinator of the Inkawu Vervet Projectfield site

My research focuses on understanding cultural evolution through studying social learning in primates. I have been working on wild vervet monkeys since the start of my master degree ten years ago and I am the research coordinator of the field site: ‘Inkawu Vervet Project’ in South Africa. My project yields unique insights into tradition formation in wild primates by adding an experimental approach to the commonly used observational approach. I will test the effect of a model’s identity in the extent to which novel innovations spread, and also examine the spatial and temporal scales on which traditions may develop. The combined results will assess the role of social learning for behavioural phenotypes in a wild primate population, which should help us to better understand what makes our human culture so unique.

since 2014

Branco Weiss Fellow at AIM, UZH, Switzerland

2011 - 2014

Post Doc University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland and University of St. Andrews, Scotland

2006-2010

PhD thesis in Eco-Ethology University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland

2006

Master of science in Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution with Prof. Redouan Bshary andProf. Ronald Noe "How to negotiate without language? Grooming markets in vervet monkeys." At University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland

2004

Bachelor of science in Biology at University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland